


the sky is flecked with signs of hope

by sothisiswhatsnext



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: I have a Brand okay and it is being emotional about hope cleric zolf, but i'm happy with how it turned out, post-155 ish, spoilers up to ancient rome, woke up with this idea and it took longer than I thought it would
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:34:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24201403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sothisiswhatsnext/pseuds/sothisiswhatsnext
Summary: Zolf sits at the window, staring over the ocean. He isn't sure how long it's been. Since Shoin, since the Institute, since the kobolds showed up and he found out the world might have gone up in ash as he sat in that cell, doing his job.Eventually, he drifts off, still sat in that chair, head sinking toward his chest.
Relationships: Sasha Racket & Zolf Smith
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	the sky is flecked with signs of hope

**Author's Note:**

> title from Proof, by Paul Simon. infinite thanks to the music channel in rsb and specifically to charlie, for feeding my ability to title things when fics happen to me rather than me sitting and planning them.

Zolf sits at the window, staring over the ocean. He isn't sure how long it's been - since Shoin, since the Institute, since the kobolds showed up and he found out the world might have gone up in ash as he sat in that cell, doing his job.   
Eventually, he drifts off, still sat in that chair, head sinking toward his chest.   
His eves blink open and he is standing on the coast, a cool salty breeze ruffling his hair. Its peaceful, here, and Zolf takes a beat to savor it.   
"Boss?" he hears behind him, and almost doesn't believe it.   
He's dreamed about her before, sure, but not recently, not since he had managed to accept she was gone, that he wouldn't get to see her again in this life. Maybe Hamid and Azu returning shook something loose?  
Zolf turns around, and it's Sasha, standing behind him. Older, here, than when he last saw her, hair touched with grey, and standing with grace.   
He takes a few steps, until he's standing in front of her.   
He knows it's a dream, of course he does. Where else would he get this peace? Where else would he get to see an old friend?  
"How've uh, how've you been, boss?" Sasha asks, and Zolf smiles a sad smile. Where does he start?  
He begins a few sentences, uncertain, knowing that if he starts he won't stop until all the whirling heavy thoughts leave him. So he doesn't start at all.   
So Sasha does. She spins him a tale that he's heard fragments of from Hamid and Azu, all colored with her metaphors and perspective. Prague. The opera. Cairo, meeting Azu, meeting Apophis, undying. Damascus, the simulacrum factory.  
Rome.   
Falling, fleeing, burning.   
Living.   
He's lost in her words for a time that feels endless. He could stay here, watching the waves, sitting side by side in the sand, just listening - he could stay here forever.   
But the story ends, as it was always going to, and he has tears in his eyes and such a warmth in his heart.   
The last thing he sees before he opens his eyes back in his chair in the inn is Sasha's face, staring out over the waves, a fond smile and a faraway look in her eyes as she described the latest antics of Lil' Maximus.   
The details slip away, in the way dreams do. He loses anything more than Sasha's wistful smile, the sound of the waves, and one thought:  
She's happy, living in her what-comes-next.


End file.
